05.03.07
Irish Times: Tara ‘henge’ will be destroyed – claim
NRA geophysical image of newly discovered enclosure in Lismullen, Tara
DOWNLOAD PDF OF NRA REPORT ON NEW DISCOVERY
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Sunday Times: History bulldozed on the M3
RTE News: New details emerge over Lismullen site
Ireland Online: Hill of Tara will be lost under M3, warn campaigners
BBC News: ‘Ancient site motorway’ is halted
The Gaurdian: Relic find halts road construction
Monsters and Critics: Work stops on Irish motorway through ancient site after find
Irish Times -Letters to the Editor: Happenings at Tara
UTV: Campaigners concerned over motorway plans at Co Meath site
Irish Times – Irishman’s Diary: Tara and the Israelites
Tara ‘henge’ will be destroyed – claim
Irish Times – Thursday, May 3, 2007
Minister for the Environment Dick Roche has already issued draft directions that would allow for the destruction of the recently discovered “henge” along the route of the M3 in Co Meath, it was claimed yesterday.
The environmental group TaraWatch said Mr Roche had sent draft directions to the National Museum to preserve the henge “by record”, a process that would facilitate photographs and written records being made before the henge is removed. Under Section 14A of the National Monuments Act 2004, if a national monument is discovered, the Minister is required to consult the director of the National Museum before deciding on what action to take.
Mr Roche told The Irish Times yesterday that he was in consultation with the National Museum, but he declined to elaborate on the nature of that consultation. Asked if he had sent draft directions to the museum to preserve the monument by record, as claimed by TaraWatch, Mr Roche repeated that he was “in consultation with the National Museum” and referred to his department’s previously issued comments on the discovery. On Tuesday the department said: “The Minister has consulted with the director of the museum on the directions that would be most appropriate in this instance from the point of view of best archaeological practice. Directions will issue as soon as possible after the Minister receives the director’s response. “The Minister is advised that the surviving elements of the monument are extremely fragile, underlining the need for an early decision on how to proceed.”
TaraWatch spokesman Vincent Salafia said the group had “well-placed sources within the National Museum” who were aware of draft directions that had been sent, which instructed that the monument be preserved by record. Dr Mark Clinton, chairman of An Taisce’s national monuments and antiquities committee, said: “The discovery of what could be called a temple, after the fashion of a comparable discovery at Emain Macha, seat of the kings of Ulster, is of obvious major significance. Such sites are extremely rare.” He called for full scientific excavation to be followed by reconstruction.
Labour Party environment spokesman Éamon Gilmore said the issue could have been avoided if the Government had accepted a November 2004 proposal that the M3 be developed immediately in three sections, “and that the controversial section, running through the Skryne Valley, be rerouted”. Fine Gael transport spokeswoman Olivia Mitchell has said she was “stunned” to learn that “more than 500 archaeologists, hired at a cost of €30 million, managed to miss a four-acre historical site while excavating for the new M3 motorway”.
Tim O’Brien.
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Roche ‘knew of M3 pre-historic site’
Irish Independent Thu, May 03 07
ENVIRONMENT Minister Dick Roche knew a month ago that the site of a possible pre-historic ‘temple’ had been unearthed on the route of the controversial M3 motorway.
The National Roads Authority alerted his department early last month that a pagan site – the size of three football pitches – dating from 3,500 BC had been discovered at Lismullen, Co Meath. It had not shown up in initial surveys.
Experts believe the find could be one of the most significant archaeological discoveries unearthed here, and might be the site of a structure similar to Stonehenge but made with wood.
Yesterday the Tarawatch campaign claimed Mr Roche had issued draft directions to preserve the site ‘by record’ – in effect, noting where the site was before destroying it to allow roadworks to begin.
The Government insists no decision has been taken on its future, made public just 24 hours after Transport Minister Martin Cullen turned the sod on the €850m project.
Paul Melia
Roche alerted weeks ago to major ‘temple’ on M3
ENVIRONMENT Minister Dick Roche knew a month ago that the site of a possible pre-historic ‘temple’ had been unearthed on the route of the controversial M3 motorway. The National Roads Authority alerted his department early last month that a pagan site – the size of three football pitches – dating from 3,500 BC had been discovered at Lismullen, Co Meath. It had not shown up in initial surveys. Experts believe that the find could be one of the most significant archaeological discoveries ever unearthed here, and might be the site of a structure similar to Stonehenge but made with wood.
Yesterday the Tarawatch campaign alleged that Mr Roche had issued draft directions to preserve the site ‘by record’ – in effect, noting where the site was before destroying it to allow roadworks to begin. The Government insists no decision has been taken on its future, made public just 24 hours after Transport Minister Martin Cullen turned the sod on the €850m road project. Last night it emerged that the Department of the Environment was notified of the discovery by the National Roads Authority (NRA) early last month, but failed to tell Mr Cullen before he took part in the sod-turning ceremony. “It was reported early in April,” a spokesman said. “We had to wait for a report from the NRA which came in the middle of the month. This is part of the normal process in that the minister is kept informed of what’s going on.”
Discovered
Archaeologists said the site was most likely a wooden ‘henge’ used for ritual ceremonies. It is also understood that a burial mound has been discovered, which was the final resting place of a woman of high status. If confirmed, this is the first example of such an artefact found in Ireland.
“It’s very ancient and is a wooden equivalent of Stonehenge,” archaeologist with NUI Galway Joe Fenwick said. “It consists of a large enclosure, and a high-status burial chamber seems to have come to light. It’s several hectares in size, you’re talking about a massive complex. “Because of their nature, these timber henges are very rare. You could count them on the finger of one hand. The timber rotted away a long time ago, but the features would be dug into the subsoil. It would take a large team digging for several months to excavate the site.”
Avoid
Opposition parties claimed that the motorway should have been re-routed away from the Tara Skryne Valley to avoid any historic sites. Fine Gael asked how a combination of €30m and 500 archaeologists could have missed the site. “This situation would be hilarious if it weren’t so serious,” FG transport spokesperson Olivia Mitchell said. “The entire M3 project has been brought to a crashing halt by the discovery of a four-acre archaeological site in its path.” The route had been “selected after many years of examination and excavation and after the NRA assured us this was a safe route in terms of archaeological significance”.
The Tarawatch campaign said if a decision was made to preserve the site ‘by record’ it would seek a judicial review. An Taisce called for a full scientific excavation of the site and reconstruction of the temple which would become a major tourist attraction.
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Hill of Tara to be lost under M3, warn campaigners
BreakingNews.ie 02/05/2007 – 17:04:01
The site of a massive ancient pagan temple unearthed at one of Europe’s most archaeologically significant sites will be buried under a controversial motorway, campaigners warned tonight. Fears were growing that the Government is to plough ahead with the contentious M3 route despite the discovery that has excited heritage campaigners.
The Government insists it has not decided the future of the major find near the historic Hill of Tara in Co Meath, uncovered just 24 hours after Transport Minister Martin Cullen turned the first sod on the project. While work has been suspended to allow further examination, the Government is today fending off claims by campaigners that this is merely a stay of execution for the site. Environment Minister Dick Roche is consulting National Museum director Pat Wallace on the best way to proceed.
But Vincent Salafia, an environmentalist and long standing Save-Tara campaigner, claimed the Government was committed to developing the motorway regardless of the impact. He alleged Mr Roche had already taken the decision to demolish the ancient find – though the minister denied the allegation. Mr Salafia claimed documentation has already been drafted on the Government’s plans for the site. “In these directions, Minister Roche directs that the national monument be preserved ’by record’,” he said. “In other words, excavations will resume in a matter of days, and the massive enclosure will then be demolished.”
The Irish National Monuments Act allows for the partial or complete destruction of national monuments, or finds of significant importance, by the Government if it is deemed to be in the public interest. The National Museum director is consulted but has no veto over any Government decision.
A spokesman for the Minister insisted a decision had not been made, stating consultations between Mr Roche and the National Museum were ongoing. “Whatever these people (campaigners) are saying is just purely speculative,” he said.The newly-discovered large circular enclosure, said to be a Henge structure, or ancient pagan temple, is thought to be around the size of three football fields and was used for Iron Age or Bronze Age rituals. It did not appear on any of the extensive tests carried out in advance of the motorway project getting the go-ahead.
The Hill of Tara is one of the most important links to ancient Ireland and one of the most significant archaeological landscapes in Europe. The site was the seat of Ireland’s pre-Christian High Kings and marks the spot where Irish myth and Irish history intertwine. With its passage tomb, earthworks and prehistoric burial mounds, it is viewed as the mythical and ceremonial capital of Ireland, dating back 5,000 years. Historians have long been baffled by its mysteries, with only partial, unconnected ruins found to date, leading experts to believe there may be many more undiscovered treasures.
The controversial proposed M3 motorway is designed to ease the traffic chaos of towns along the Meath corridor. Residents in the Dublin dormitory county are all too aware of the great need to solve the congestion difficulties, with massive tailbacks during peak times. Campaigners fought unsuccessfully in the High Court to have the route of the motorway diverted to avoid the Hill of Tara site. Conor Newman, Professor of Archaeology at NUI Galway, said he was pessimistic Government would save the site. “The campaign to preserve this site has become a legal battle when in fact it should be an ethical one, whether we value our heritage or not,” he said.
Prehistoric find halts some work on M3
RTE News: Wednesday, 2 May 2007 17:16
Prehistoric find halts some work on M3:The Minister for the Environment, Dick Roche, has ordered that some work be stopped in an area surrounding a prehistoric find on part of the planned route of the M3 motorway in Co Meath.
It follows the finding of what has been described as a substantial national monument at Lismullen, beside the Hill of Tara.
On Monday, the Minister for Transport, Martin Cullen, turned the first sod on the M3 motorway.
The Department of the Environment has declined to state whether it has issued draft directions to the National Museum that the newly discovered national monument be preserved by record’.
TaraWatch, the group campaigning to have the M3 motorway re-routed, has claimed that such an order has been issued and will result in the monument being destroyed in a matter of days after a brief examination.
A spokesman for Minister Roche declined to say whether or not such directions had been issued to the Director of the National Museum Dr Pat Wallace.